Mobile devices such as hand-held GPS units and in-vehicle GPS units been developed for providing navigation guidance. Other mobile devices such as GPS-enabled wireless communications devices have also been equipped with navigation functionality for providing navigation guidance. These devices are configured to determine the location of the mobile device and to allow a user to specify a destination. Automated algorithms and map databases are used to determine a route from the current location to the desired destination. Navigational notifications generated for the route may include turn-by-turn route guidance instructions. Navigational notifications now also include passive reassurance notifications such as “keep straight” in addition to those requiring some action on the part of the user. In addition, traffic and weather updates and other location-based information may also be included.
Navigational notifications are typically presented either visually on a display, audibly via a speaker, or both. Users may find updates and passive reassurance notifications annoying or intrusive in some situations, for example, if they are listening to music or enjoying a conversation. In addition, a user may easily miss audio notifications while listening to music or enjoying a conversation. The user may thus fail to take an appropriate action based on the notification.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.